A Buddhist monument at Ratnagiri. Telegraph picture

Jajpur, Jan. 6: A recent order from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) restricting construction activities around Buddhist monuments at Ratnagiri in Jajpur district has given rise to protests among local residents.

Tourist inflow to the world-famous historical monuments has dwindled as local villagers resort to dharna, road blockades and other forms of protest in an attempt to make the authorities withdraw the order. Sources said, in its order communicated to Ratnagiri panchayat office the ASI said no construction or renovation would be allowed within 100 to 300-metre radius of the world-famous Buddhist monuments at Ratnagiri. Construction or renovation can be made subject to permission from the ASI, the communiqué had said.

The order has irked around 270 house owners who have been living within this 100- to 300-metre zone for decades. “We have been residing near the monument site for ages. Our houses are located within 300 metre of the archaeological site. Suddenly, the ASI directs us not to renovate or repair our houses,” said Sachidananda Mallik, secretary, Ratnagiri Vikash Manch.

Villagers said they had asked the authorities to relocate them with suitable compensation. “We should be given an alternative site to move to. We should be given suitable compensation before relocation as we will have to lose our buildings and homestead land,” said Bishnu Charan Mohanty, former zilla parishad member.

The act through which the ASI has enforced the order is an old one and the houses were built in the area before the act had come into force, the villagers argue, and so it does not apply to them. Calling the ASI order “unconstitutional and illegal”, villagers have threatened to agitate and move court to force the ASI authorities to withdraw the order.

“The notification is arbitrary and inhuman,” said Choudhury Atul Kumar Mangaraj Mohapatra, president of the manch. “We have staged a dharna in front of the museum blocking the way to the monument demanding withdrawal of the directive. If necessary, we will go to court against the order,” he said.

A Cuttack ASI conservation official said: “We have directed all houses owners near the Buddhist site at Ratnagiri not to renovate or reconstruct their houses. The ASI has been empowered to demolish illegal constructions that have come up in the restricted area after June 1992.”

Contacted, Jajpur collector Pramod Kumar Mohanty said: “We have called a meeting that the villagers, ASI authorities and district administration will attend to sort out the problem.”